Material movement is a challenging aspect of many industries, particularly in the underground mining industry. Traditional material movement solutions rely on diesel fuel and engines to provide power to mining equipment such as continuous miners and haulers. Emissions, however, are potentially problematic for underground operations, as the heat rejected from the engine and the carbon emissions during operation must be removed from the mine through a ventilation system. Carbon emissions from the utilization of diesel-powered engines also contribute to increased equipment costs because of the provision, regeneration and maintenance of after-treatment filters that are necessary to capture such emissions.
Other material movement solutions rely on electricity to power mining machinery and equipment. For example, continuous miners and haulers may be powered utilizing electricity from external sources. In particular, electrical cables may run from the electrical distribution system within a mine to the miners and haulers to supply power thereto. As will be readily appreciated, however, the electrical distribution system and electrical cables must be installed and advanced with mine development. This installation limits productivity and requires periodic maintenance activities such as cable health assessment and reel operation. In addition, the utilization of electrical cables reduces the flexibility of haul routes, as the cables must not be driven over. Moreover, electrical cables running to the vehicles may be expensive to procure, install and replace, increasing the overall cost of mining operations. Further, establishing and maintaining a reliable connection that provides efficient and safe power transfer can be challenging, especially with vehicles and machinery that are so often in motion.
In view of the above, there is a need for a system and method for powering mining machinery and equipment utilized for material transfer and transport within a mine. In particular, there is a need for a system and method for powering continuous miners and haul vehicles.